Jim Wygant planned ahead to be useful in retirement. So, five years before retiring, he started volunteering for the Title Wave Used Bookstore. Thirteen years later and now retired, he thinks that volunteering at Title Wave is “close enough” to his dream of owning a bookstore. His passion for books, reading and libraries dates back to his grade school days when he volunteered at his school library. With over 3,000 hours given to Multnomah County Library, Jim’s service includes seven years teaching basic computer skills to older adults in the Cyber Seniors program. Cyber Seniors suits him well because it combines his love for teaching and his knack for reducing complex concepts to fundamentals. Asked what he gets from volunteering, Jim mentioned self-discovery and the opportunity to present himself in a fresh role, different from the familiar one that he played in his paid work career.

Gift People is a program ofrecorded conversations with civically engaged older adults, sponsored by Library Outreach Services, Life by Design NW and the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by Oregon State Library.

Thanks to the advocacy of journalists, lawyers and politicos, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger recently announced changes aimed at improving government openness. What does this mean for concerned citizens? Join the Society of Professional Journalists as we discuss the meaning of open, transparent government.

Love dinosaurs? Listen in as zinester Rio Safari and librarian Cathy Camper discuss some of the best and most bizarre dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are related to birds, but were they colored like parakeets? What's the deal with T. rex's teeny tiny arms? And what dinos had more spikes than a punk's leather jacket? Listen in and explore the books below, for more info:

At 62, Bill Brandt-Gasuen has a rich history of volunteering in Portland including 16 years with Multnomah County Library, 15 with Friends of Seasonal and Service Workers and 10 with Race for the Cure. When he retired in 2002, the issues that concern him deeply—literacy, homelessness and poverty—motivated him to pursue a second career as a full-time volunteer for these organizations. Having recently reached 14,000 hours of service to thelibrary, Bill credits his civic engagement to his upbringing, an innate desire to serve and, in the words of President Obama,”... a mandate to assist others”.

Gift People are recorded conversations with civically engaged older adults, sponsored by Library Outreach Services, Life by Design NW and the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by Oregon State Library